Compare towns
Barre vs Lebanon vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barre | Lebanon | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
14,999Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Barre and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lebanon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$98,147±$10kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #29 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Lebanon School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Lebanon High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.7Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.